I have always been aware of the divide in social class in America. Even as a young girl, I was determined to make life better for the poor. My wealthy grandmother often scolded me for giving food to the beggars. As I grew, my determination helped me to improve American life by providing education for young girls and, most importantly, improving the conditions of jails and almshouses and improving the treatment of the mentally ill.
Goals
When I was fifteen years old, girls my age were not allowed to attend public schools and could only be educated privately. My first goal was to find a way for girls to be able to learn.
I entered the East Cambridge Jail in 1841 to teach a Sunday school class for women and was shocked to see the terrible conditions the inmates were living in. Criminals and the mentally ill were not separated from one another, and there was no heat or cleanliness. It was my goal from this point forward to provide better conditions for the inmates.
When I learned that the mentally deranged were treated no differently than criminals in the jails (they were often chained in a dark, cold cellars), I set out to provide better accommodations for the mentally ill and to prove to Americans that the insane are not necessarily incurable.
After improvements were made to jails and hospitals in Massachusetts, I began hoping for improvements in the jails of other states as well.
Methods
I opened a private school for girls in Worcester in 1816 and began teaching young girls. In 1821, I moved back with my grandmother and opened another private school in Boston, also offering free classes to the poor children.
I wanted a first-hand account of jail life in order to complete my research, so I traveled first around Boston, then the entire state of Massachusetts, and eventually all over the east coast, visiting jails and almshouses and noting their conditions. Following each survey I submitted a petition to the state legislature.
In order to help the mentally ill, I researched the common mental diseases by reading all available literature on the matter and interviewing physicians. I insisted that the curable should be placed in therapy, while the incurable should have a comfortable living environment.
Success
I was successful at first in providing education for girls at my various schools. However, my poor health caused me to close the schools while I could recover.
After seeing the awful conditions in the jails and almshouses around Massachusetts, I eventually submitted a petition to the Massachusetts legislature in 1843. At first, I was criticized for my efforts; however, the legislature eventually came to agree with me and provided funds for the expansion of the State Mental Hospital at Worcester.
Even before my success with the Massachusetts jails, I began traveling to other states, including New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. One by one, I researched the conditions of the jails and presented my petition to the state legislatures. Each state eventually agreed to build more hospitals for the mentally ill and to improve existing facilities.
After my previous successes, I proposed a federal land grant of 12,500,000 acres to provide care for the mentally ill. The bill was passed by the House and the Senate, but President Franklin Pierce vetoed the bill.
Eventually, my progress was lost. Mass immigration caused the poor population to increase drastically, hospitals became overcrowded, and states no longer had the funds to provide care for all.
Practicality
One could say that my actions were not necessarily impractical, but certainly uncommon. As an unmarried women, I traveled about sixty thousand miles alone. Successful reforms led by a single person were not common in my age. Being a woman, I am particularly proud of my numerous successes. Most women at the time were uneducated. Although I did not receive much education, I pride myself in being very knowledgeable about mental illnesses.
Federal Support
I was very pleased with my successes with the state legislatures and their willingness to provide facilities and funds for the mentally ill. However, I was disappointed with the lack of federal support with my ideas, especially from President Franklin Pierce. I had the Senate and the House of Representatives on my side with regards to my proposal for a federal land grant. The bill seemed that it would be passed until it received a veto from Pierce. This upset me greatly. With more federal support and funds, perhaps my progress would not have died out as it did because the states could not afford to fund the project anymore. The mentally ill would have had a huge facility in which to recover. However, the presidential veto prevented this.
References
Edward Bangs: I first met Edward at a party at my aunt’s house, where I expressed to him my love for reading and my desire to become a schoolteacher. With his help, I opened my first private school for girls. At one point in time, the two of us became engaged; however, knowing marriage was not for me, I eventually broke off our relationship. We remained on friendly terms and he went on to become the secretary of state of Massachusetts. This benefited me greatly when I submitted my petition to the Massachusetts legislature, because he had considerable influence and helped to get my petition passed.
Anne Heathe: I found my home among the religious Unitarians in the 1820s. Anne Heathe, a fellow Unitarian, and I became the best of friends. We kept up constant correspondence until her death. We shared many beliefs and led similar lifestyles. However, Anne came from a loving family, and I could certainly not say the same of mine. Her letters sometimes caused me severe loneliness, but these feelings only led me to redouble my efforts of improving the lives of the mentally ill.
Dorothea Dix: 1816-1854
I have always been aware of the divide in social class in America. Even as a young girl, I was determined to make life better for the poor. My wealthy grandmother often scolded me for giving food to the beggars. As I grew, my determination helped me to improve American life by providing education for young girls and, most importantly, improving the conditions of jails and almshouses and improving the treatment of the mentally ill.
Goals
When I was fifteen years old, girls my age were not allowed to attend public schools and could only be educated privately. My first goal was to find a way for girls to be able to learn.
I entered the East Cambridge Jail in 1841 to teach a Sunday school class for women and was shocked to see the terrible conditions the inmates were living in. Criminals and the mentally ill were not separated from one another, and there was no heat or cleanliness. It was my goal from this point forward to provide better conditions for the inmates.
When I learned that the mentally deranged were treated no differently than criminals in the jails (they were often chained in a dark, cold cellars), I set out to provide better accommodations for the mentally ill and to prove to Americans that the insane are not necessarily incurable.
After improvements were made to jails and hospitals in Massachusetts, I began hoping for improvements in the jails of other states as well.
Methods
I opened a private school for girls in Worcester in 1816 and began teaching young girls. In 1821, I moved back with my grandmother and opened another private school in Boston, also offering free classes to the poor children.
I wanted a first-hand account of jail life in order to complete my research, so I traveled first around Boston, then the entire state of Massachusetts, and eventually all over the east coast, visiting jails and almshouses and noting their conditions. Following each survey I submitted a petition to the state legislature.
In order to help the mentally ill, I researched the common mental diseases by reading all available literature on the matter and interviewing physicians. I insisted that the curable should be placed in therapy, while the incurable should have a comfortable living environment.
Success
I was successful at first in providing education for girls at my various schools. However, my poor health caused me to close the schools while I could recover.
After seeing the awful conditions in the jails and almshouses around Massachusetts, I eventually submitted a petition to the Massachusetts legislature in 1843. At first, I was criticized for my efforts; however, the legislature eventually came to agree with me and provided funds for the expansion of the State Mental Hospital at Worcester.
Even before my success with the Massachusetts jails, I began traveling to other states, including New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. One by one, I researched the conditions of the jails and presented my petition to the state legislatures. Each state eventually agreed to build more hospitals for the mentally ill and to improve existing facilities.
After my previous successes, I proposed a federal land grant of 12,500,000 acres to provide care for the mentally ill. The bill was passed by the House and the Senate, but President Franklin Pierce vetoed the bill.
Eventually, my progress was lost. Mass immigration caused the poor population to increase drastically, hospitals became overcrowded, and states no longer had the funds to provide care for all.
Practicality
One could say that my actions were not necessarily impractical, but certainly uncommon. As an unmarried women, I traveled about sixty thousand miles alone. Successful reforms led by a single person were not common in my age. Being a woman, I am particularly proud of my numerous successes. Most women at the time were uneducated. Although I did not receive much education, I pride myself in being very knowledgeable about mental illnesses.
Federal Support
I was very pleased with my successes with the state legislatures and their willingness to provide facilities and funds for the mentally ill. However, I was disappointed with the lack of federal support with my ideas, especially from President Franklin Pierce. I had the Senate and the House of Representatives on my side with regards to my proposal for a federal land grant. The bill seemed that it would be passed until it received a veto from Pierce. This upset me greatly. With more federal support and funds, perhaps my progress would not have died out as it did because the states could not afford to fund the project anymore. The mentally ill would have had a huge facility in which to recover. However, the presidential veto prevented this.
References
Edward Bangs: I first met Edward at a party at my aunt’s house, where I expressed to him my love for reading and my desire to become a schoolteacher. With his help, I opened my first private school for girls. At one point in time, the two of us became engaged; however, knowing marriage was not for me, I eventually broke off our relationship. We remained on friendly terms and he went on to become the secretary of state of Massachusetts. This benefited me greatly when I submitted my petition to the Massachusetts legislature, because he had considerable influence and helped to get my petition passed.
Anne Heathe: I found my home among the religious Unitarians in the 1820s. Anne Heathe, a fellow Unitarian, and I became the best of friends. We kept up constant correspondence until her death. We shared many beliefs and led similar lifestyles. However, Anne came from a loving family, and I could certainly not say the same of mine. Her letters sometimes caused me severe loneliness, but these feelings only led me to redouble my efforts of improving the lives of the mentally ill.
Research Sources
Bumb, Jenn. "Dorothea Dix." Webster University. Web. 24 Feb. 2010. <http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/dorotheadix.html>.
Viney, Wayne. "Dorothea Dix." UUA Server for Other Organizations' Web Sites. Web. 24 Feb. 2010. <http://www25.uua.org/uuhs/duub/articles/dorotheadix.html>.